Innoventions West to temporarily close in May

[AgentC]

The Orlando Sentinel is reporting that Innoventions West will temporarily close starting in early May to prepare for a new experience, They have reached the end of the sponsorship agreement with all three exhibits (Think by IBM, The Great Piggy Bank Adventure by T. Row Price and Where's the Fire by Liberty Mutual.) All three exhibits will be replaced. New exhibits were not identified and a reopen date was not listed.

So another empty building at Epcot. I am going to have to make sure I get over there with my kids before it closes. Piggy Bank is one of their favorite things to do and they have always enjoy the Liberty Mutual area as well.

[BrerGnat]

Oh, sad to see the piggy bank game go away. Kids love that.

[ibelieveindisneymagic]

This makes me sad. We love both of these ... Piggy and the Fire. Even though we're "big kids", this is still fun.

I hate to see another closed building. If they ever get DHS sorted out, Epcot isn't going to be far behind in needing some major love.

[Maleficent's Dad]

There are lots of "rumors" out there about Innoventions. I'm hopeful that it is a short term refurb. Lots of sites reporting that this will be a more permanent closure and the end of Innoventions West.

[Tekneek]

There are lots of "rumors" out there about Innoventions. I'm hopeful that it is a short term refurb. Lots of sites reporting that this will be a more permanent closure and the end of Innoventions West.

They always need new space for festival centers and corporate events. Having said that, I think it would be really foolish for them to close it permanently.

[Cass&KenziesMom]

Oh no! My girls loved the Piggy Bank game!

[Patricia]

With Innoventions in Disneyland closing permanently at the end of this month, I'm not counting on this coming back as we know it, but time will tell. The last time they closed the entire area was in 1999.

“We’ve reached the end of our sponsorship agreements with the exhibitors in Innoventions West and will temporarily close the space in early May to begin preparing for a new experience.”- Disney Spokeswoman

Sponsorship has become an issue for Epcot in recent years.

[Tekneek]

Sponsorship has become an issue for Epcot in recent years.

It has been an issue for several years. My best guess is that Disney simply doesn't know who to talk to, or how to talk to them. The very idea that there is nothing in FUTURE WORLD involving SpaceX or the other new private space ventures is mind blowing. Nothing about the innovations happening in solar technology. If Disney actually got back to things related to the future of transportation, agriculture, and energy, they could surely find plenty to put in these spaces. The companies innovating in those areas love to talk about what they're doing. Instead, Disney seems to approach Future World in a stuffy business way.

[DisneyGiant]

They should reach out to Google & have them run it they way they see fit.

Google = Innovations nowadays......

[Fangorn]

It has been an issue for several years. My best guess is that Disney simply doesn't know who to talk to, or how to talk to them.

...

Instead, Disney seems to approach Future World in a stuffy business way.

One of the underlying issues of sponsorship probably has to do with Disney's concept of "Sponsor". Disney has pretty much always demanded that their "sponsors" sign multi-decade contracts for multi-million dollars a year. When Epcot first opened, AT&T, Kodak, United Technologies, General Electric, and GM were not only some of the biggest companies in the world, but also where the majority of innovation was coming from. Companies of that size were the ones who could afford the research facilities and engineering talent.

But as the song says: "the world has somehow shifted".

(For example: When IBM moved into Innoventions West back in the mid 1990s (20 years ago), they were on the cutting edge of portable computing, and proudly showed off their Thinkpads to anyone and everyone. Folks were lined up for hours to get a chance to use one for a couple of minutes. And IBM has been in Innoventions ever since, still showing off their laptops. Despite the fact that they no longer actually make laptops anymore. They sold off that business to Lenovo in 2005. But, IBM is still at Innoventions because they signed a contract with Disney 20 years ago. )

Today, most true innovation is coming from small companies with a dream and a vision. They don't have the capability, even if they had the desire, to enter into a 20 year agreement with Disney. In today's business climate few companies are willing to consider a 20 year commitment to anything. let alone what is essentially a marketing effort. The major conglomerates don't need to be associated with Disney. They certainly don't want to be locked into a multi-million dollar contract for the next 20 years that has questionable returns.

Disney's model for showing off innovation in science and technology is stuck in the 1950s. That model worked for a long time, but not so much anymore. Until Disney figures out a different way to fund the innovation part of Epcot, we're going to continue having shuttered buildings and more and more movie tie-ins coming to Epcot.

I really hope I'm wrong on that last part, but I fear I'm not.

Steve

[dnickels]

Yeah, hope they have replacements actually lined up, although if they do, why not make the announcement now? The fact that they haven't announced the replacements makes me a little nervous.

There's more innovation than ever going on, it should be easy to find some exciting technologies to present unless the things Disney demands from the 'sponsors' are simply ridiculous. Driverless cars, artificial intelligence, biotech, energy, materials, space travel.

[PopPhan]

They don't have the capability, even if they had the desire, to enter into a 20 year agreement with Disney. In today's business climate few companies are willing to consider a 20 year commitment to anything. let alone what is essentially a marketing effort.

Not questioning the validity of your statement, but what is the current contract length for Seimens for SpaceShip Earth? Or GM for Test Track? These are relatively new contracts (signed within the last 5 years.)

I can fully understand the Disney thought about long-term contracts for rides and attractions. Who wants to have parts of a theme park shut down for extended periods of time every 5 - 10 years to replace a ride or attraction? Even those of us who visit on a regular basis would be up in arms about that.

I believe that we, as regular park visitors, are more fickle than Disney or sponsor corporations. We are always crying for more, new, different, updated, BUT DON'T TOUCH MY FAVORITE!!!!! Well, that means long-term contracts for your "favorites" and new/extended contracts for additions/updates/rehabs.

Over the past 15 years there were booms and busts in the economy and the subsequent funding or lack thereof showed. Now that (hopefully) we are seeing some stability in the economy again, maybe we will see some big corporations loosening the purse strings and become willing to promote themselves in the largest and most prominent advertising arena in the world -- Disney Parks!

Sorry, I know I got a bit sidetracked and on my soapbox there!!

[big blue and hairy]

This makes me sad. We love both of these ... Piggy and the Fire.

They're going to combine the 2 and have a barbeque restaurant....

[TheDuckRocks]

I'm sad to see the Piggy Bank game leaving. We just played for the first time on our last trip. It was raining like crazy and we ducked in to avoid crowds over in MouseGears. Four senior citizens getting very competitive with their little piggies. We had a blast.

[Hammer]

(For example: When IBM moved into Innoventions West back in the mid 1990s (20 years ago), they were on the cutting edge of portable computing, and proudly showed off their Thinkpads to anyone and everyone. Folks were lined up for hours to get a chance to use one for a couple of minutes. And IBM has been in Innoventions ever since, still showing off their laptops. Despite the fact that they no longer actually make laptops anymore. They sold off that business to Lenovo in 2005. But, IBM is still at Innoventions because they signed a contract with Disney 20 years ago. )

Today, most true innovation is coming from small companies with a dream and a vision. They don't have the capability, even if they had the desire, to enter into a 20 year agreement with Disney. In today's business climate few companies are willing to consider a 20 year commitment to anything. let alone what is essentially a marketing effort. The major conglomerates don't need to be associated with Disney. They certainly don't want to be locked into a multi-million dollar contract for the next 20 years that has questionable returns.

Disney's model for showing off innovation in science and technology is stuck in the 1950s. That model worked for a long time, but not so much anymore. Until Disney figures out a different way to fund the innovation part of Epcot, we're going to continue having shuttered buildings and more and more movie tie-ins coming to Epcot.

I really hope I'm wrong on that last part, but I fear I'm not.

Steve

Agree, Disney needs to change how they structure their sponsorship model. Yes, Walt may have believed in 20 year sponsorships, but you have to change with the times. Sponsorship deals are now at most 10 years in length. They need to target different sorts of companies as potential sponsors. They do a very good job with sponsorship for the Food and Wine festival, they just need to target the right companies. Talk to pharma companies about becoming a sponsor; that could revitalize the Wonders of Life pavilion. That's just an example, but you see where I am going with this idea.

[mook3y]

About 2 years ago, Disney reached out to some major institutions/corporations to get them to participate in developing a "future display" for this area.

I know for a fact Union Pacific Railroad was one of these companies.

We might find something pretty interesting put in here during the refurb.

[Maddie]

It is about time! Boy, does Innoventions need a refurb, East and West! I love Epcot but it is no longer an Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow. It is a community from yesterday. The only reason Epcot is my favorite park is because of the diverse culture, food choices and experiences that come along with the world showcase.

[John]

Time to bring back communicore - and allow guests to enter either side from the bottom, and walk all the way thru the top.

My sources are saying this closing could last a while though... a replacement that has not been worked out yet.

[John]

Oh and to add insult to injury - not only do they not have anything decided yet on what to do with the one side they are closing - "Temporarily" is code for we don't have anything decided yet despite how it might sound, the Vision House exhibit on the east side is closing even sooner...

So, there's that.

[AgentC]

Oh and to add insult to injury - not only do they not have anything decided yet on what to do with the one side they are closing - "Temporarily" is code for we don't have anything decided yet despite how it might sound, the Vision House exhibit on the east side is closing even sooner...

So, there's that.

Ugh. Not that the Vision House was exciting but it was something to do. I I was pretty sure that is what temporarily meant especially since nothing has gone in the space where the Segways used to be or the Velcro and they both closed ages ago.